On Sept. 29 Grammy winner Sting, who appeared in the 1989 Main Stem revival of 3 Penny Opera, will make his Broadway composing debut with The Last Ship at the Neil Simon Theatre. Directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello, the new musical has a book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey with choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett. Last Ship, about a member of the English seafaring town of Wallsend who returns home after a 14-year journey, features Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.

For those who were fans of the original Tony-nominated production of Side Show — this writer included — one of the most eagerly awaited revivals of the season is that Henry Krieger-Bill Russell-Bill Condon musical, which arrives on Broadway Oct. 28 at the St. James Theatre. Directed by Academy Award winner Condon, who will be making his Broadway directorial debut, the roles of Violet and Daisy Hilton, memorably originated by Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner, will now be played by Erin Davie and Emily Padgett, who starred in both the La Jolla and Kennedy Center engagements. The two actresses will be joined by Matthew Hydzik as Buddy Foster, Robert Joy as Sir, Ryan Silverman as Terry Connor and David St. Louis as Jake.

Rob McClure and Brynn O'Malley in Honeymoon in VegasPhoto by T. Charles Erickson

Off-Broadway, the most intriguing production may be the new musical The Fortress of Solitude, which has a book by Itamar Moses and music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and begins previews Sept. 30 at The Public Theater. Conceived and directed by Daniel Aukin, the cast will feature Ken Barnett, Kyle Beltran, Adam Chanler-Berat, André de Shields, Carla Duren, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Jahi Kearse and Kevin Mambo, among others. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem, the new musical is described as "the extraordinary coming-of-age story about 1970s Brooklyn and beyond — of black and white, soul and rap, block parties and blackouts, friendship and betrayal, comic books and 45s. And the story of what would happen if two teenagers obsessed with superheroes believed that maybe, just maybe, they could fly." Also of interest is Classic Stage Company's upcoming mounting of the little-seen Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Allegro, which will begin previews Nov. 1. Directed by Tony winner John Doyle, the cast is headed by Claybourne Elder as Joseph Taylor Jr., a young physician learning about the mysteries of life and death, with George Abud as Charlie Townsend, Alma Cuervo as Grandma Taylor, Tony nominee Elizabeth A. Davis as Jenny Brinker and Malcolm Gets as Joe Taylor Sr.

Already in previews is the world-premiere production of Found, the original musical inspired by found letters and notes, at the Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater. Featuring a book by Tony Award nominee Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree and original music and lyrics by Eli Bolin, the musical, directed by Overtree, will officially open Oct. 14. The cast includes Christina Anthony, Nick Blaemire, Andrew Call, Daniel Everidge, Orville Mendoza, Betsy Morgan, Molly Pope, Danny Pudi, Sandy Rustin and Barrett Wilbert Weed.

Lauren Worsham

On the concert stage, The New York Philharmonic will present a semi-staged production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's ground-breaking and Tony Award-winning musical Show Boat Nov. 5–8 at Avery Fisher Hall. Initial casting includes Tony nominee Vanessa Williams as Julie, Julian Ovenden as Gaylord Ravenal and Gentleman's Guide Tony nominee Lauren Worsham as Magnolia, all in their Philharmonic debuts. The performances will be conducted and directed by Tony winner Ted Sperling.

Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, who concludes her record-breaking, award-winning run in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Oct. 5, will return to Carnegie Hall Dec. 12 at 8 PM. Broadway's most-honored soprano will be backed by music director Andy Einhorn on piano, Mark Vanderpoel on bass and Gene Lewin on drums.

Tony nominees Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Morrison, who shared the stage in both The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific, will once again join forces for The New York Pops' Kelli and Matthew: Home for the Holidays Dec. 19-20 at Carnegie Hall. Attendees can expect to hear seasonal classics and contemporary holiday songs as well as the Essential Voices USA.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Olivier winner Elaine Paige, who has appeared on New York stages in Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd and Follies, will offer her "farewell" concert tour. Entitled Page by Page by Paige, the tour will commence Oct. 9 at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff and conclude Oct. 22 at the Brighton Dome. Paige will also offer an evening at London’s Royal Albert Hall Oct. 20 with special guests and the BBC Concert Orchestra. The upcoming tour, according to press notes, will "encompass Elaine Paige’s monumental career, with songs from the world of musical theatre and her hugely successful recording catalogue."

Chita Rivera
Photo by Laura Marie Duncan

On smaller stages the one-and-only Betty Buckley will celebrate her new album "Ghostlight," which reunites the Tony-winning actress with producer T Bone Burnett, with seven concerts at Joe's Pub in October. The concerts, which will feature songs from the Palmetto Records release, are scheduled for Oct. 7-8 at 7 PM, Oct. 9 at 7 PM and 9:30 PM, Oct. 10 at 7 PM and Oct. 11 at 7 PM and 9:30 PM. Buckley will be accompanied by pianist Clifford Carter, bass player Tim Luntzel, drummer Tony Mason, guitarist Oz Noy and Rick Martinez on synthesizer. Triple-threat Chita Rivera will be seen at the famed jazz club Birdland Oct. 7-11 at 8:30 PM. Chita's Back! will feature the two-time Tony winner performing some of her favorite songs, offering a special tribute to her friends John Kander and Fred Ebb and re-creating signature moments from her legendary career. She will be accompanied by long-time musical director Michael Croiter, associate music director/pianist Michael Patrick Walker and Jim Donica on bass.

Over at the Café Carlyle, actress, singer and producer Rita Wilson will make her debut at the East Side venue beginning Sept. 24. The performer, whose second album is due in early 2015, will play through Oct. 4. An Evening with Molly Ringwald, featuring the star of "The Breakfast Club," "Sixteen Candles" and "Pretty in Pink," will be presented Oct. 7-18, and the season will also include husband-and-wife duo John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey (Oct. 28-Nov. 22).

And, the annual celebration of New York cabaret will be presented Oct. 20-23 in the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, The 25th Annual New York Cabaret Convention will kick off Oct. 20 with I Love a Piano, which will celebrate the singing pianist. The Convention will continue with Quiet Please, There's a Lady On Stage, a celebration of Julie Wilson's 90th birthday (Oct. 21), Something Sort of Grandish, featuring the songs of Burton Lane and Yip Harburg (Oct. 22) and Come On And Hear, an all-Irving Berlin evening (Oct. 23). All shows begin at 6 PM.

Whether you prefer your evenings in a cozy cabaret or in a Broadway house with a full orchestra, get out there and catch one of your favorite gals!

Betty Buckley
Photo by Victory Tischler-Blue

BETTY BUCKLEY: "Ghostlight," Palmetto Records Betty Buckley's newest album "Ghostlight," which reunites Buckley with her longtime friend and producer T Bone Burnett, finds the Tony-winning actress in a peaceful, almost hypnotic mode. This is not the big-voiced, belty, raise-the-roof Buckley; in fact, the vocals on the 12-track, jazz-influenced recording are more subdued and sweet, delivered mostly in Buckley's ethereal upper register, leading to what may be the gifted artist's most intimate recording to date.

This is not to say that the emotions are not large – they just overwhelm you in a more surprising manner as Buckley, here more vulnerable than ever, presents a heartfelt journey of loss and love.

Buckley begins the new disc with the classic Brigadoon ballad "Come to Me, Bend to Me," gently caressing the Alan Jay Lerner lyric, and follows with the great Jacques Brel ballad "If You Go Away." This plea may be delivered in hushed tones, but the interpretation is so deeply felt that the effect is wholly moving.

The Irving Berlin standard "Blue Skies" is the recording's most upbeat offering, and Buckley imbues her interpretation with a mix of restrained optimism and joy. Her delivery of "Lazy Afternoon" paints a vivid portrait of two lovers sharing a welcome day alone together in a quiet meadow, and her readings of two Richard Rodgers classics, "Bewitched" (with lyrics by Lorenz Hart) and "This Nearly Was Mine" (with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), are understated but beguiling.

Other highlights include the hypnotic "Dreamsville"; a simply gorgeous reading of "Comin' Back to Me"; and "Take It with Me When I Go," which may be the most touching, breathtaking offering of the recording. Buckley concludes her recital with Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Where Time Stands Still." As she does on much of the recording, she creates a spare, almost haunting atmosphere, which allows the listener to be completely drawn into the song, taking away what he or she feels from the lyric.

"Ghostlight" may lack the sheer vocal fireworks of Buckley's live concert recordings; nevertheless, it is a welcome addition to the ever-growing recording canon of this formidable singing actress, who somehow manages year after year to surprise anew with her many talents.

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"Ghostlight" is available as a commemorative limited art box, which includes two separate vinyl records of the complete recording, a 24-page booklet of photos and notes, as well as CD copies of the "Ghostlight" recording and “Bootleg: Boardmixes from the Road,” the promo CD for "Ghostlight." It is also sold as a CD and booklet.